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Not long after his Royals team-mates had turned in another drab display in their 2-0 home defeat to Middlesbrough, Loader was celebrating wildly with his young international colleagues in Kolkata, India.

That the teenager was an unused substitute in the final – and did not get much game time during the tournament – should not detract from his part in history.

And, anyway, he did score two goals in England’s 4-0 victory over Iraq in the earlier group stages.

Extra minutes on the pitch would have been nice for Loader, 17, but the whole experience – professionally and culturally – should have been of enormous benefit to him.

England's Danny Loader greets fans after his team won the FIFA U-17 World Cup (Image: AP)

I’ve never been to India but I’m told by those who have that, at the same time, it can be a chaotic and beautiful country – full of contradictions yet entrancing enough for you to want to see more of it.

For Loader to live so far out of his Berkshire comfort zone for the best part of a month could shape the rest of his football career.

At least he was given the full opportunity by Reading, unlike Jadon Sancho – the former Manchester City starlet now with Borussia Dortmund in Germany.

Sancho was allowed by Dortmund to play in the group phases, in which he scored three goals, but was then recalled by the Bundesliga club.